employed during harry truman's administration through to ronald reagan's. collecting people imeel ya that offers a -- memorabilia that offers a three dimensional timeline of the presidential families. john f. kennedy jr.'s baby pen. even a burnt wooden post from 1814 when the british set fire to the white house which arrington found at work during the truman reconstruction. >> we found the table in the tar pen ter shop. >> reporter: he also helped with the kennedy renovations and collected items from the first lady herself, including a handwritten thank you note after the death of her son patrick. >> they're real people and they have real lives. a lot of this collection demonstrates that fact as well. >> i'm sure when he was collecting them, he was just -- never thought it would be of great, big value. but today we're reliving part of history. >> reporter: 1,000 things that arrington saved will be auctioned off today. starting bids ranging from $25 to $12,000. just like presidential life, the collection is bittersweet. wedding and inauguration announcements